The present disclosure relates generally to systems and methods for supporting a load on a human frame, such as may be used with wearable ballistic body armor plates and accessories for military and law enforcement personnel, or other wearable load carrying harnesses used in firefighting, search and rescue, weighted exercises, infant carriage, etc.
When an individual carries a load, the load can cause a significant burden on the individual's body depending on the weight and how the load is distributed. For example, in military and certain law enforcement operations, personnel traditionally wear protective gear (e.g., flak jackets and/or ballistic plates) that protects the body from projectiles (e.g., bullets, shrapnel, and the like). The heavy protective gear, in addition to other equipment to be carried (e.g., weapons, ammunition, radios, pyrotechnics/explosives, medical kit, water, and the like), place significant weight on the shoulders of the personnel. Accordingly, the wearer can quickly become exhausted when performing even moderate exercises or drills while wearing such protective gear and the associated equipment. Furthermore, traditional protective gear can limit the wearer's range of motion, e.g. around the waist and arms, creating a potential safety hazard to the wearer, particularly in high-risk environments.
These problems are not limited to military/law enforcement equipment and personnel. Problems with load bearing mobility, fatigue, and muscle strain can also be found, for example, in firefighting, search and rescue, weighted exercise, infant carriage, or any other area in which loads are carried at least partially on or about the torso.
Although various attempts have been made to redistribute load weight, e.g. from the user's shoulders to the user's hips, many of these approaches unduly limit the user's mobility (e.g. bending, twisting, and/or running), or involve complex mechanical structures that add unwanted bulk and/or weight, and/or are cost-prohibitive for such uses. For these and other reasons, there are ongoing needs for improvements in wearable load carriage.